 |
 |
[09/28/09 - 12:34 AM]
The 10 Things You Need to Know About the New Season: #1 - 68% of New Shows Fail
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC) |
|
|
Please note: As a courtesy, please do not reproduce these comments to newsgroups, forums or other online places. Links only please.
Welcome once again to "The 10 Things You Need to Know About the New Season," our annual feature about, well... the 10 things you need to know about the new season. The goal of this venture is to address not only common questions people have about television but to also demystify (or potentially reaffirm) stigmas out there about certain networks, time periods, genres and so forth. So with that in mind let us put on our journalistic caps and give you the cold hard truth about what's potentially ahead for some of your favorite new and returning shows...
1. Only 32% of new network shows make it to a second season.
The CW's "The Beautiful Life" will eventually have a lot of company: in the past 10 seasons, only 32% of new shows on average made it to a second season. Last season it was even worse: just 11 of the 44 new shows (or 25%) made the cut for a sophomore run. The best survival rate? 35% during the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons. In other words, for better or worse, between 29-34 of this season's 45 (and counting) newcomers will be axed by May 2010. Don't believe us? Check out the hard data:
| season | abc | cbs | fox | nbc | upn | wb | cw | total |
| 1999-2000 | 3/12 (25%) | 6/12 (50%) | 2/12 (17%) | 5/15 (33%) | 1/7 (14%) | 5/10 (50%) | | 22/68 (32%) |
| 2000-2001 | 5/12 (42%) | 4/10 (40%) | 4/12 (33%) | 5/17 (29%) | 2/8 (25%) | 3/7 (43%) | | 23/66 (35%) |
| 2001-2002 | 4/16 (25%) | 4/11 (36%) | 5/17 (29%) | 7/15 (47%) | 2/5 (40%) | 4/11 (36%) | | 26/75 (35%) |
| 2002-2003 | 7/21 (33%) | 5/12 (42%) | 4/17 (24%) | 8/17 (47%) | 2/6 (33%) | 5/13 (38%) | | 31/86 (36%) |
| 2003-2004 | 2/17 (12%) | 4/8 (50%) | 7/22 (32%) | 3/11 (27%) | 2/9 (22%) | 4/11 (36%) | | 22/78 (28%) |
| 2004-2005 | 9/21 (43%) | 3/11 (27%) | 6/17 (35%) | 6/20 (30%) | 2/8 (25%) | 2/7 (29%) | | 28/84 (33%) |
| 2005-2006 | 2/17 (12%) | 6/12 (50%) | 4/11 (36%) | 3/16 (19%) | 1/5 (20%) | 1/8 (13%) | | 17/69 (25%) |
| 2006-2007 | 7/27 (26%) | 4/10 (40%) | 3/14 (21%) | 6/17 (35%) | | | 2/4 (50%) | 22/72 (31%) |
| 2007-2008 | 9/21 (43%) | 3/11 (27%) | 3/11 (27%) | 4/15 (27%) | | | 2/8 (25%) | 21/66 (32%) |
| 2008-2009 | 6/17 (35%) | 2/8 (25%) | 5/10 (50%) | 3/17 (18%) | | | 1/8 (13%) | 17/60 (28%) |
| total | 54/181 (30%) | 41/105 (39%) | 43/143 (30%) | 50/160 (31%) | 12/48 (25%) | 24/67 (36%) | 5/20 (25%) | 229/724 (32%) |
* the above table has been revised to reflect the fates of 2009's summer series
From this we can also glean a few other pieces of info - CBS (39%) and The WB (36%) had the best survival rates while FOX (30%), UPN (25%) and The CW (25%) had the worst. But considering that both UPN and the WB don't exist anymore, that doesn't necessarily translate into longevity as a whole.
So brace yourself, chances are the majority of the new shows you've added to your viewing schedule won't be back this time next year.
TOMORROW: Which day of the week is the toughest to launch a new show?
|
|
|
 [march 2026]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[03/09/26 - 12:15 PM]
ABC and Hulu Are Rolling Out the Red Carpet for the Biggest Night in Hollywood!
Tamron Hall and Jesse Palmer will host "The Oscars Red Carpet Show," the official lead-in to the 98th Oscars on Sunday, March 15, airing at 6:30 p.m. EDT/3:30 p.m. PDT on ABC and Hulu.
|
[03/09/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: Trailer and Key Art Debut - Hulu Original "Dear Killer Nannies"
The new Latin American drama series is inspired by the childhood and adolescence of Juan Pablo Escobar.
|
[03/09/26 - 10:01 AM]
"The Drew Barrymore Show" Renewed for Two Seasons
The two-season renewal will take the daytime show through 2028.
|
[03/09/26 - 09:37 AM]
Peacock Lands Exclusive Next-Day Streaming Rights in the US for "Saturday Night Live UK"
Premiering Saturday, March 21 on SKY One and NOW in the UK, the series will stream next day on Peacock in the US, with new episodes available weekly beginning March 22.
|
[03/09/26 - 09:00 AM]
"Philly Homicide" Returns to Oxygen for Season Two
The 10-episode season of its gripping original series premiering Saturday, April 11 at 8:00/7:00c.
|
[03/09/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "XO, Kitty" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Netflix
This season, Lana Condor will reprise her role as Lara Jean, making it her first time appearing in the series and officially returning to the franchise.
|
[03/09/26 - 08:09 AM]
AMC Networks Orders Second Season of "The Audacity" from Jonathan Glatzer Days Before World Premiere at South by Southwest
The first season of eight episodes comes to AMC and AMC+ on Sunday, April 12.
|
[03/09/26 - 07:01 AM]
"The Predator of Seville" Premieres on Netflix on March 27
The new docuseries reconstructs the case of a tour guide accused of assaulting several foreign students in Spain.
|
[03/09/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV Unveils Trailer for "Margo's Got Money Troubles"
The eight-episode series will premiere globally on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 with three episodes, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through May 20, 2026.
|
[03/09/26 - 07:00 AM]
ESPN and the Southern Conference Announce Multi-Year Media Rights Extension
The extended agreement represents an expanded commitment by ESPN, anchored by a robust slate of regular-season and championship broadcasts across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU, along with comprehensive digital distribution through ESPN's direct-to-consumer services.
|
[03/09/26 - 06:01 AM]
Francis Ngannou Makes Highly Anticipated Return to MMA vs. Philipe Lins on MVP's Rousey vs. Carano, Ngannou vs. Lins on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, Live Globally Only on Netflix
The bout marks Ngannou's highly anticipated return to professional MMA competition following his crossover into global boxing events and his dominant PFL Championship victory in 2024.
|
[03/09/26 - 03:01 AM]
Video: "Inside" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Netflix
Content creators take on a series of jaw-dropping challenges for the potential to win a huge prize fund in this reality series from viral YouTubers, the Sidemen.
|
[03/09/26 - 01:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind: Sweden" - Season 3 - Official Trailer - Netflix
New season. New singles. New drama. As they date and get engaged sight unseen, which of these Swedish couples will discover that love is truly blind?
|
[03/06/26 - 12:24 PM]
FOX Entertainment Studios Signs First-Look Deal with Writer, Actor, and Creator River Gallo
Gallo is the star, writer and creator of "Ponyboi," the inaugural feature film produced under FOX Entertainment Studios' new independent film label, Tideline.
|
[03/06/26 - 10:51 AM]
Shudder Announces Four All-New Specials of the Cult Favorite "The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs" in 2026
The announcement comes ahead of the Shudder original's celebratory series finale, airing live tonight, Friday, March 6 at 9pm ET on Shudder and AMC+.
|
|
|
|
